Similarities
by francybaguette
Summary: The true blueness of Cas' eyes shone for a split second. "My favourite part of thunderstorms has always been the lightning... A strange, and dangerously beautiful phenomenon." Dean and Cas find themselves stuck in a motel room together, and decide to pass the time by talking. The conversation gets off topic and takes a more personal turn. Can be interpreted as fluff OR platonic!


As the door to the temporary motel room slammed shut, one of the sopping wet figures, panting heavily but laughing nonetheless, sunk to the floor, exhausted from the long run back.

Dean peeled off his jacket, pushing his short wet hair back off his forehead. "Geez, it's really pouring out there."

Though the room was dark, he could see the silhouette of his friend nod. "I apologize for keeping you out there in this weather."

"Eh, no biggie," Dean shrugged nonchalantly, wringing out his shirt sleeves on the floor, "It's not the worst storm I've been through."

He trudged over to one of the two beds and sat down, the feeling of the soaking fabric beneath him, made his nose scrunch up in disgust. Removing his boots and laying back on the creaky mattress, he vaguely wondered if Cas was as uncomfortable as him in his soaking wet clothes.

Castiel surprised Dean by sitting down on the bed opposite him, mirroring Dean's own actions and pulling off both his long, heavy trench coat and his shoes; though instead of laying back on the cot, he just sat there, staring down at the brunette.

Dean cracked one eye open, checking to see if Cas was staring at him as usual. "Why don't you lie down? You're making me uncomfortable just lookin' at you." He flipped over onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow, holding back a smirk directed at the blue-eyed angel.

"Am I that unpleasant to look at?" Cas asked seriously, cocking his head to the side slightly.

"No, that's not what I meant," Dean chuckled, "I just... Aren't you gonna lie down? You don't get tired at all? Not even a little bit?"

Cas shifted on the bed a little, and after a loud creak from the mattress, he replied, "I don't, usually, feel tired, but I can rest if I choose to. Although it is greatly different from how humans sleep." He combed his dark brown hair back with his fingers, after which Dean had to keep himself from laughing, as a few stray pieces of hair stuck back up again. "Besides, someone needs to look out for you Winchesters."

At the thought of his younger brother, Dean frowned. "Sammy's in California by himself; shouldn't you be watching _him_ too?"

It was the anniversary of Jessica's death tomorrow, and Sam had gone to her grave to visit. Dean, of course, had protested, saying that they had too much work to do, but Sam had insisted, and so Dean had let him go off on his own for once.

There was a long, awkward pause before Cas said hesitantly, "He'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about."

Sounding slightly incredulous, Dean laughed a bit too loudly, and said, "You- You're worried about me? I can take care of myself Cas..!" He quickly stopped himself from adding a _"don't be so stupid"_ on the end of his last sentence.

"I always worry about you, Dean." Cas said steadily, staring intensely at the man sitting across from him. "You're my..." He paused for a moment, apparently trying to find the right word. "You're my friend." It was true of course. Dean was Cas' only true friend, and the same could be said for Dean.

Dean suppressed a smile and sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed and looking at Cas briefly before getting up with a groan and rotating his wrists. "Alright, alright... I appreciate it Cas, I really do; I'm just worried about my brother is all." He stretched his arms above his head and yawned, "I'm going to take off these wet clothes; hopefully I have some semi-clean ones to change into somewhere." Dean looked over his shoulder at the angel and added, "You might want to take off some layers too. You'll dry off faster that way."

Looking half confused, Castiel nodded, and worked off his suit jacket. He watched Dean yawn again as he closed the door of the bathroom, and shook his head. He'd never understand the purpose of that particular human action.

Cas decided that there was no real point in staying in his damp clothing any longer, and so he quickly unbuttoned his white dress shirt and removed it. Next, he rolled up the bottoms of his pants, which had admittedly gotten quite wet while he and Dean had run through the storm to the motel room.

There was no real reason to, but Cas felt as though he should cover up his exposed torso, to keep warm. So, pulling the scratchy wool blanket off of the bed, he draped it around his shoulders, and pulled the edges together, cocooning himself within it.

No sooner had he finished, then the door to the bathroom opened, and out came the exhausted, yet still somewhat content, Dean. He had evidently found a clean shirt and jeans, and was currently rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He'd ditched his watch, and also hadn't bothered to put on a belt, so his pants were a little loose on his waist, but it was understandable if he was to be sleeping in the clothing.

He looked up at Castiel, smirking. "Better?"

Cas nodded, pulling the blanket in; closer to his bare stomach, and giving a small half smile. "You also seem to be slightly more comfortable in that. I wasn't aware that humans were affected by rain, and colder temperatures this much."

Shaking his head slightly, a hint of a smile on his face, Dean replied, "Yeah, _us humans_ usually tend to hate the rain. You know, not too great if you catch a cold 'cos you were out playin' in puddles or something..." The corners of his mouth twitched upwards again. "What, you like the rain or something?"

After a long moment of silent contemplation, Cas answered, "Yes. I enjoy watching the rain; but I am also unable to fly in such weather. It's very inconvenient. Although, it _is _very soothing, listening to the rain drop onto the soft earth. But..." Cas' eyes caught the light as he looked up, showing the true blueness in them for a split second. "My favourite thing about when it rains, is the lightning... A strange, and dangerously beautiful phenomenon." He took on a distant look, his eyes going hazy and making him look as though he was staring off into space.

A low chuckle escaped Dean, and he threw himself down on his cot again, sighing. It had been a long time since he was this tired.

"Yeah, I remember, I used to love the rain. That was forever ago." He rubbed his temples, closing his eyes once again. "I used to run and hide when there was a thunder storm though. Always hated lightning." He felt a slightly lopsided grin work its way onto his face at the memories, thinking of how his mother had always comforted him during those occasions. She'd sit with Dean on her lap, hugging him tightly, and telling him that she was, and always would be there for him.

"And flying..." Cas whispered, looking down at his bare feet, and suddenly appearing to be very fascinated with the hem of the ratty woolen blanket.

Dean looked over at Castiel, a questioning look on his face. "Flying; you've always hated and been afraid of flying, too." Cas put his weight on his hands, leaning back and crossing his legs, the blanket slipping down and settling around his waist. Ironically, he looked more _human _than Dean had seen him look in a long time. "The few things that I associate with, and _like _about rainstorms, you _dislike_; and vice versa. I find that very strange... Don't you, Dean?"

There was another, yet somehow less uncomfortable silence as Dean thought about Cas' words. It _was_ strange; yet also true. And Dean couldn't help but wonder how he and Cas could be so different. In many ways, they seemed so alike, but when it really came down to it, they were almost complete opposites. "I guess." Dean replied simply. "But, that's what makes you human... Or, well, what makes you an angel, I guess, in your case. We all have our own opinions and thoughts, and even though we're all different, that's what makes us all unique too..."

Castiel's gaze suddenly settled on Dean, focused and serious. "Since we're on the topic, can I get something -I believe the expression would be- something off my chest?" He brushed a few loose strands of hair off his forehead, pausing, and waiting a bit too anxiously for Dean's answer.

Confused, Dean nodded, curious as to what he could possibly be talking about. "Yeah, Cas, what is it?"

The angel took a deep breath, his gaze trailing down to his lap. He hesitated for a moment, then said in a quiet voice, "I feel like you have much too low of an opinion of yourself. You need to realize what you've done for this world, Dean." He swallowed and his voice came again, stronger this time. "And what you've done for me."

Dean turned to looked at his best -and only- friend, taken aback by his words. "I- I do realize, Cas... I know what good I've done. But-" He sat down beside Cas, ignoring the dampness of the bed, and continued, "I've also done too much bad." He looked into Castiel's bright cerulean eyes, and he felt his stomach drop. They held so much pity, and so much guilt, that it pained him to maintain his gaze.

"It's not your fault. None of this is your fault, Dean. Not the fact that Jessica Moore was murdered, not Lucifer getting out, not any of it. You cannot reverse what has already come to pass, Dean, so why continue brooding over it? Focus on all of the positive things you have done for this damned planet for once." Dean felt a hand on his shoulder, gripping it tightly, yet at the same time, it was gentle and reassuring. Cas understood him fully and completely. There were no secrets left unspoken between the two of them. Things he hadn't even trusted Sam; his own brother, with, he had discussed with Castiel. He had seen him at his worst, and still, he stayed with him, loyal as ever.

"Cas..." Dean muttered, not bothering to look directly at him, "Thank you. For everything man. You're just awesome."

For a moment, he thought Castiel hadn't heard his words, but then, just as he was about to look over at the angel, he felt a pair of arms wrap loosely around his torso. Admittedly it was a little awkward for both of them at first, but it was still the first time that Dean had ever seen Cas initiate physical contact such as this. He returned the hug, resting his chin on Cas' bare shoulder and closing his eyes, extremely satisfied with the unexpected intimacy of their brief embrace.

It lasted only a few seconds, but for Dean, it had felt like a month. A smile still graced his features as he pulled back from Cas; he was reluctant to let go, but it was necessary.

"Where'd you learn that?" Dean chuckled, resisting the urge to tease Cas any further on how incredibly socially awkward he was.

With his cheeks burning, Cas glanced up at Dean embarrassedly, the only answer given; a short, muttered, "Sam."

Dean's face broke into a huge grin, and he slapped Castiel on the back affectionately. "Aha, I knew it! It felt just like a Sammy hug!" At that comment, Cas gave a tiny smile, but he quickly tried to hide it, and took to turning his head down towards his lap.

As both of Dean's arms returned to their place back down at his sides, he yawned, feeling his fatigue return with a vengence. "I'm gonna call it a night." He hesitated for a moment before asking, "You staying here?"

Cas nodded, his face still slightly red.

Barely giving himself time to think about it, he pulled back the sheets on the bed and crawled beneath them, beyond exhausted. "Get'n here." He grunted, closing his eyes and rolling over to face the door; the opposite to where Cas was sitting.

Though he had only half expected Cas to argue or protest, he was pleasantly surprised when he felt Castiel climb in beside him. He was too tired to care how ridiculous the whole situation was, or how this would look if Sam, or someone else, whether friend or foe came into the motel room and saw them as they were. For now, he would savour the warmth of Cas, pressed up against him, and the knowledge that he had someone who he could truly count on. And as he drifted off to sleep, he realized that what they both had in common, and what they both needed so very desperately, the thing that really bonded them together, was the feeling that they were mutually needed; and more importantly, that they were both completely, and genuinely loved.


End file.
